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renting heating headaches

  • Last Updated:
  • Mar 16th, 2022 10:26 am
[OP]
Deal Addict
Jan 31, 2022
1391 posts
2411 upvotes

renting heating headaches

I live on the top floor of a bungalow.
The landlord can be as dishonest as f*ck sometimes. He rented the basement out to someone and only put one working vent down for the whole basement in a single room. I lived here a couple of years and someone new moved in and then the complaints started about it being cold.

They told me they didn't pay for heating oil. Their first request was that I open my windows so the furnace would stay on all the time.

Their argument is that since the thermostat is located upstairs I am responsible for keeping it warm downstairs. Turn on a heater or stop the door draft downstairs never entered their minds, "too dangerous for electric heaters".

My argument is that they should contact the landlord to provide adequate heat supply downstairs. I informed the landlord what I kept the temperature at and they wanted me to turn it up a couple of degrees saying "it will fix the problem" failing to acknowledge his role in this and of course it didn't fix the problem.

I don't trust the person downstairs either. They tell me things like they can see the walls moving and hear voices and other things I know are simply not true that could not be attributed to delusions. I think they are slightly unstable but not that mentally ill.

I stay away from the tenant. I partly suspect they have done this before and are simply playing inept on purpose. What type of legal headaches can they cause me about the heat?
5 replies
Deal Addict
May 21, 2015
1260 posts
877 upvotes
Sarnia, ON
Who is paying for the heat/gas/oil.?. you or the landlord,, Make your answer clear.
If you are paying for the heat and the thermostat is in your living quarters then you can set the temperature to whatever you like. If the landlord is paying for the heat then it is his responsibility to ensure that the temperature remains no lower than 20 in the winter daytime, 18 at night. (ontario) for each tenant
[OP]
Deal Addict
Jan 31, 2022
1391 posts
2411 upvotes
Shared utilities are split between the tenants. Landlord's name is on the bill and I pay him; he tried to get me to put my name on that bill.
The place was rented to me as "heated by oil" at least for my unit.
I see no way the basement can have an adequate supply with 1 vent. I even closed 3 vents up here
I didn't know about it until this winter and the person downstairs isn't the most truthful, part of the problem is they have a major draft from the door down there but wont go to the landlord tenant board, they are fixated on me.
They are now telling me it is in the 50s down there. It is crazy.

Part of me thinks they are trying to harass me into moving because they don't do anything to help their situation.

I keep the thermostat above 20 at all times, never heard of that 18 at night thing.
Deal Fanatic
Feb 4, 2010
6906 posts
6686 upvotes
It seems like only a temporary fix is viable given the landlord doesn't seem like he's the type to accept responsibility. E.g., The landlord should get a space heater for the downstairs tenant and deduct the extra charges off the rent
Deal Fanatic
Jun 13, 2010
7244 posts
9552 upvotes
GTA
podric wrote: Shared utilities are split between the tenants. Landlord's name is on the bill and I pay him; he tried to get me to put my name on that bill.
The place was rented to me as "heated by oil" at least for my unit.
I see no way the basement can have an adequate supply with 1 vent. I even closed 3 vents up here
I didn't know about it until this winter and the person downstairs isn't the most truthful, part of the problem is they have a major draft from the door down there but wont go to the landlord tenant board, they are fixated on me.
They are now telling me it is in the 50s down there. It is crazy.

Part of me thinks they are trying to harass me into moving because they don't do anything to help their situation.

I keep the thermostat above 20 at all times, never heard of that 18 at night thing.
Can't you go to the landlord tenant board about the door since the draft increases the cost of heating for you? It won't matter how high you turn up the heat if there is a major draft letting most of the heat out and the cold in.
[OP]
Deal Addict
Jan 31, 2022
1391 posts
2411 upvotes
The door draft would make it cold downstairs and so have the person downstairs complain about the heat and also drive up the electric bills.
The electric use more than triples in the winter and I have that pattern to show. I left it up to the tenant downstairs to remedy it but they did not.
I have several things to file for so I will have to see about this house sale and my other life things to make room for this.

thanks.

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